Electric switch with position indicating means



Ogt. 30, 1934. M GUETT 1,979,196

ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH POSITION INDICATING MEANS Fi] .ed Aug. 4, 1952 5Sheets-Sheet 1 z VIISUAHT/OA/ 1 52 29 5F 19 G F I I a Czrcuzi Brakerzmanually MONROE GUETT BY HIS ATTORNEYS c l dvllifm Oct. 30, 1934 7 U T1,979,196

ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH POSITION INDICATING MEANS Filed Aug. 4, 1932 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Q I I7 l Czra'ufz- 7 /za 7?; 2222a A I m Z 39 F O WGusumnml 33 7 .lM$ULflT/0N- [WEI/I I h l am :2 If 64 (iz'ra-uz'? Openedfiufamafgcalgy INSULFITION/ INVENTOR MON ROE G U ETT BY HIS ATTORNEYS X?DC; 30, 1934. TT 1,979,196

ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH POSITION INDICATING MEANS Filed Aug. 4, 1932 3Sheets-Sheet 5 BY HIS ATTORNEYS MONROE GUETT Patented Oct. 30, 1934PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH POSITION INDICATING MEANS MonroeGuett, Hartford, Conn, assignor to The Arrow-Hart & Hegeman ElectricCompany, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut ApplicationAugust 4, 1932, Serial No. 627,509

16 Claims.

This invention relates to manually operable electric switches of thetype having means to automatically move the switch parts to circuitbreaking position upon the occurrence of an overload in the switchcircuit. This invention is an improvement upon the switch shown inmycopending application Serial No. 500,352, filed December 5th, 1930,patented May 30th, 1933, No. 1,911,893.

It is an object of my invention to provide asimplified switch mechanismof the above type. Another object is to provide a switch of the abovetype which will be more accurate in op-' eration than in similarswitches as heretofore known.

Another object is to provide a switch of the above type with means toindicate what position the switch is occupying.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the invention is describedin connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a casing providedwith a window through which are visible indicating means operatingaccording to the principle of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation view with'the cover of the switchcasing removed showing the'switch mechanism constructed according to theprinciple of my invention. In this view the switch parts are shownoccupying the position they take when the switch has been manually movedto circuit breaking position.

. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but

showing the parts of the switch in the position they take when theswitch has been moved to circuit closing position. In this view some ofthe parts are broken away for clarity.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the parts of theswitch in the position they occupy when an overload has caused theswitch to be tripped to open the circuit.

Figure 5 is a section view taken on line 5-5 ,of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detailed view of a thermally responsive member which isused in my invention to break the circuit upon occurrence of anoverload.

Figure 7 is an elevation section view of another form of the inventionwith the section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 8.

Figure 8 is a plan view partly broken away, of the form of the inventionshown in Figure 7. Referring to Figures 1-6 of the drawings 'the switchmechanism is housed within a two part casing comprising a cover 18 and abase 22 which preferably are made of insulating material. In the uppercentral portion of the cover 18 there is provided an arcuate window 19through which are visible legends indicating which of three posgo siblepositions, the switch is occupying at a given time. The top of thecasing base 22 is provided with a slot 23 through which projects a lever52 having on the end thereof a handle 56 by which the switch mechanismmay be operated as 5 will hereinafter more fully appear.

Located in the upper right hand corner of the base 22 as viewed inFigures 2, 3 and 4, are a pair of similar stationary contacts 26, 28located one above the other and each comprising a pair 7 ofsubstantially parallel resilient abutting contact fingers. The uppercontact 28 (see Figures 2 and 3) is secured upon a combined bracket andfeed wire terminal 29'mounted on the base 22. The lower contact 26 issecured to a lug extending 7 perpendicular to the rear of the switchbase from a bus bar 27 running along the right hand end of the base 22(as viewed in Figures 2-4) and connecting the contact 26 with one arm ofa conventional U shaped bimetallic thermal element 25. The other end ofthe thermal element 25 is connected to a combined bracket and wireterminal 24 which is mounted upon the rear of the switch base 22 andmaybe provided with means to secure a feed wire to it. The constructionof the brackets 24, 27, 29, fixed contacts 26 and 28, and the thermalelement 25 may be varied within wide limits by those skilled in the arttherefore it is not considered necessary to describe the construction ofthese parts in further detail. Obviously other load responsive meansthan a thermal bar may be used to cause the switch to operate uponoverload.

The movable parts of the switch mechanism are all mounted upon a switchframe 20 which is stamped into U shape from sheet metal providing a pairof spaced parallel side plates 20a and 20b between which the switchmechanism moves.

' This switch frame is secured to the base 22 with the plates 20a, 20bparallel to the main portion or back 22a of the base by means of screwbolts 21 which pass through bosses 22b formed on the back 22a. Thus theplates 20a and 20b are secured parallel to but spaced from the back 22a.

The front and rear plates 22a and 22b of the switch frame are eachprovided with V notches whose sides are parallel and coplanar. Pivotallymounted in these V notches is a U shaped contact carrier 38 which may bestamped from sheet metal. in a shape similar to the contact carrier 11shown in my copending application Serial No.

500,352. Secured to the arm of this contact carrier which is farthestfrom the base 22, is'a wide strip or plate 39 of insulating materialhaving an enlarged central portion and being movable in a plane parallelto the back of the switch base 22. Secured upon the end of theinsulating plate 39 and projecting laterally therefrom toward the base22 is a bridging contact bar 30 which is adapted to move in and outbetween the resilient fingers of the stationary switch contacts 26 and28 to complete and break the circuit through the switch.

The contact carrier 38 is moved with a snap motion by means of atensioned coil spring 42 one end of which is connected to the central orcross portion of the contact carrier 38 while the other end is loopedover a tongue 50 upon an auxiliary switch operator 44 whose structureand function will presently be more fully described. The switch ismanually operated by the lever 52 which may be stamped from sheetmetal-more or less in the shape of the letter C but with an extensionupon whichv is secured an insulating body forming a handle 56. The lever52 is pivotally mounted in the switch frame by a pivot pin 53 whichpasses through the lower end of the lever (see Figures 2-4) and throughthe bottom part of the plate 20b. Pivotally mounted upon the lower partof this lever 52 and normally moving as a unit'therewith is theauxiliary switch. operator 44 which may be readily 'stamped from sheetmetal into the shape shown. The pivot pin 45 located a short distance tothe right of the pivot 53 as shown in Figures 2-4, serves as the pivotalmounting for the auxiliary operator. Normally holding the auxiliaryoperator 44 against movement about its pivot 45 and thereby compellingthe auxiliary bar 44 to move as a unit with the manual operating lever52, is a sheet metal latching member 64 with an elbow in its centralportion 64a. This latching member is pivotally mounted at its upper endon a pivot pin 65 located in the upper part of the lever 52 near thehandle 56. In order that the main part of the latching membencontainingthe elbow 64a may move freely over the auxiliary operator 44, thelatching member is offset as at 64c, adjacent the pivot 65. A lateralextension from the latching member 64, adjacent its pivot 65 is providedwith a catch lug 74 which is adapted to engage under normal conditions,i. e. when the switch is operated manually, with a nose 48 extendingfrom the auxiliary operator 44, as shown in Figure 3. The latchingmember 64 has its lower end 645 pointed and normally engaging with alaterally projecting tongue 25a' upon the end of thermal element 25, thepoint of engagement of the end 65 and the tongue being located in theaxis of the pivot pin 53. By this construction the tongue 25a provides afulcrum for the latching member 64 and causes it to pivot about the axisof the pin 53 as the manual actuating member 52 is moved to operate theswitch manually between on and 05? positions.

When the thermal member 25 bends due to the heat of an overload, thecatch lug 74 moves out of engagement with the nose 48 and frees thelatching member 64 for action under the influence of the spring '71,which is wound around an extension of the pivot pin 65 and pressesagainst one edge of the latching member 64 urging that member inclockwise direction as shown in Figure 4, thereby permitting theauxiliary operator 44 to move counter clockwise about its pivot 45 underthe action of the-switch spring 42. As soon as the line of action of thespring passes through the plane of the contact carrier 38 the spring 42will urge the contact carrier in clockwise direction causing thebridging contact 30 to move out of engagement with the fixed contacts 26and 28 thereby breaking the circuit through the switch. This is thetripped position of the switch as shown in Figure 4; When it is desiredto reset the switch, the handle 56 must be moved to the left (in Figure3) during which the offset portion 640 of the latching member 64-engageswith the back of the auxiliary operator 44 causing the latching member64 to move counter clockwise about its pivot 65 and at the same timecausing the catch lug '74 and the end 64b of the latching lever to againengage with the tongue on the thermal bar 25 which by this time musthave cooled and assumed its former position as shownin Figures 2 and 3.

In order to indicate whether the switch has been moved to open circuitposition manually or has been moved to open circuit position due to anoverload, or whether the switch is in closed circuit position I havemarked on the insulating plate 39, the legends On and Trip. Theselegends are so placed that when the switch is in circuit closingposition the legend On is visible through the window 19 of the casingcover 18 and when the switch has been tripped due to overload the legendTrip is visible through the window 19. This is easily accomplished dueto the fact that upon moving of the switch from closed to open circuitposition the insulating plate 29 moves with the movable contact 30.However, since the legend Trip is always beneath the window when thecircuit is broken it is necessary to conceal thatlegend when the circuitis broken manually by handle 56. To this end an arm 70 bearing thelegend 01f is secured to the manual operating lever 52 in position so asto be visible through the window 19 whenever the switch parts are in theposition they take after the switch is manually moved to open thecircuit. The arm 70 is placed so as to move in a plane parallel to theplate 39 but nearer the window than plate 29. Thus when the legend Offis visible, the arm '70 will conceal the legend "Trip. Due to the' factthe handle 56 and manual operating lever 52 do not move when the circuitis broken automatically, the

legend Off will remain out of view at all times except when the handlehas been manually moved into circuit breaking position as shown inFigure 2.

Figures 7 and 8 show another form of means 1 for indicating when thecircuit has been broken.

In this form of the invention the casing 110 instead of having a windowin only one face has the window 119 extending up around the comer of thecasing adjacent the operating handle 56 in order that the indicatingmeans may be visible to a person looking down on the switch as in Figure8. A sheet metal indicating member 120 which tapers from one end towarda circular enlargement at the other is stamped into L-shape 14C with theshort arm 120a at the tapering end of the member, being made arcuate.This member 120 moves in unison with and is secured against the outsideof the contact carrying member 39,

by the same means employed to hold the contact carrying member on theswitching member 38,

as will hereinafter more fully appear. Thus the short arcuate arm 120aof the indicating member 120 is visible through the portion of thewindow in the top of the casing and the upper end of the long arm ofsaid member is visible through the portion of the window in the side ofthe casing.

Upon the member 120 in position to be visible,

through the window 119 at the appropriate time the legends On and Tripor other suitable indicating devices may be placed so that as thecontact carrier 39 moves between circuit breaking and circuit makingposition, the legends will appear beneath the window.

The means to indicate when the circuit is broken manually comprises asheet metal indicating member 130 with a circular aperture 131 in oneend, which aperture receives a depressed circular portion 132 of awasher 133. The member 130 is rotatably mounted upon the contact carrier39 by means of the washer 133 which lies against the member 130 andholds it between the washer 133 and the indicating member 120. Thewasher 133 is held to the switching member in a conventional fashion bypeening over the ends of the fingers 38a of the switching member whichextend through the washer.

The other end of the member 130 is bent to lie over but not touch thearm 120a of the indicator 120, and thus be able to hide the arm 120a,under certain conditions.

The indicating member 130 is moved by the manual control lever 52 byreason of a laterally extending lug 152 on the lever engaging with oneor the other of a pair of extensions 134, 136 extending from the bentend of the lever 130. These extensions are spaced to permit the lever 52some lost motion before the lug 152 engages an extension and moves theindicating member. The purpose of this lost motion is to maintain theindicating member in status quo until the lever 52 has been moved farenough toward its next position so that a very slight additionalmovement will operate the switch mechanism. Thus there will be no falseindications when the switch handle is only partially moved to a newposition. Figure 8 shows lever 52 and indicator 130 in full lines incircuit breaking position, and in dotted lines in circuit makingposition.

To prevent overthrow of the indicator 130, two nubs 140, 142 are formedon the side wall of the casing. The nub 140 keeps the indicator 130 frommoving past the window due to the aforementioned lost-motion connection,when the handle 56 is moved to circuit. breaking position. The nub 142keeps the indicator 130 from moving into engagement with the upperstationary switch contact 28.

The operation of the form of invention shown in Figures 7-8 is quitesimilar to that shown in Figures 1-6. Since the means indicating the Onand Trip position of the switch move as a unit with the contact carrier38 the same effect is obtained in Figures 7-8 as in Figures 1-5.Likewise the indicator 130 for Oil position, hiding the Trip legend, (inFigures 7 and 8) differs in operation from indicator 70 (in Figures 1-6)only in the respect that there is lost motion betweenmanual operatingmeans and indicator 130 while indicator '70 is rigidly connected to themanual operating means in Figures 1-6.

Many variations and changes within the scope of my invention will occurto those skilled in the art, therefore I do not limit the invention tothe specific embodiment shown in the drawings.

I claim:-

1. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a manually operable member pivoted about afixed axis and operable to move said movable contact, a carrier for saidmovable contact pivotally mounted about a fixed axis, a latching memberpivotally mounted about amovable axis and freed for movement about saidaxis upon occurrence of an overload, means to move said movable contactwith a snap .upon occurrence of an overload or movement of said manuallyoperable member, said latching member being fulcrumed about a fixed axisduring manual operation of the, switch.

2. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a manually operable member pivoted about afixed axis, and operable to move said movable contact, a carrier forsaid movable contact pivotally mounted about a fixed axis, a latchingmember pivotally mounted about a movable axis and freed for movementabout said axis upon occurrence of an overload, means acting to .movesaid movable contact with a snap upon occurrence of an overload ormovement of said manually operable member, said latching member beingfulcrumed about the axis of said manually operable member during manualoperation of the switch.

3. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a manually operable member pivoted about afixed axis, and operable to move said movable contact, a carrier forsaid movable contact pivotally mounted about a fixed axis, a latchingmember pivotally mounted about a movable axis and freed for movementabout said axis upon occurrence of an overload, means acting to movesaid movable contact with a snap upon occurrence of an overload ormovement of said manually operable member, and load responsive meansproviding a fulcrum for said latching member during manual operation ofsaid switch.

4. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a manually operable member pivoted about afixed axis and operable tomove said movable contact,.a carrier for saidmovable contact pivotally mounted about a fixed axis, a latching memberpivotally mounted about a movableaxis and freed for movement about saidaxis upon occurrence of an overload, means acting to move said movablecontact with a snap upon occurrence of an overload or movement of saidmanually operable member, and load responsive means providing a fulcrumfor said latching member in the axis of said manually operable memberduring manual operation of the switch.

5. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying one of saidcontacts, a pivoted manually actuablep lever, mechanical meanscontrolled by said lever for directly indicating the condition of theswitch, a. plurality of mechanical means directly indicating thecondition of the switch and controlled by said movable member, saidfirst mentioned indicating means appearing only when said switch is inone condition, said other indicating means showing, respectively, onlywhen said switch is in another position or when the switch has beenoperated by an overload.

6. A manually and automatically operable electric switchcomprising fixedand movable contacts, a movable member can'ying a movable contact, apivoted manually actuable lever,'means controlled by said lever forindicating the condition of the switch, and a plurality of meansconnected to and moving with said movable member for indicating thecondition of the switch.

7. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact,a pivoted manually actuable lever, means controlled by said lever forindicating the condition of the switch, a plurality of means connectedto and moving with said movable member for indicating the condition ofthe switch, a different indicating means showing for each switchcondition.

8. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact,a pivoted manually actuable lever, means controlled by said lever forindicating the condition of the switch, a plurality of means moving withsaid movable member for indicating the condition of the switch,'one ofsaid indicating means hiding another indicatingmeans in a certainposition of the switch. I

9. A -manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact,a pivoted manually actuable lever, means controlled by said lever andvisible to the operator for indicating the condition of the switch, a

.plurality of means moving with said movable member and visible to theoperator for indicating the conditionof the switch, said firstindicating means and said plurality of indicating means moving inopposite directions during manual movement of said movable contact.

' 10. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying. a movablecontact, a pivoted manually actuable member, a plurality of meansindicating which of on, ofi or tripped positions the switch isoccupying, one of said indicating means moving with said manuallyactuable member and the other of said indicating means moving with saidmovable member, no more than one of said means showing at any time.

11. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact,a pivoted manually actuable member, a plurality of .means indicatingwhich of on, oil or tripped positions the switch is occupying, one ofsaid indicating means moving with said manually actuable member and theother of said indicating means moving with said movable member, said oneindicating means moving in a plane parallel to the plane of movement ofsaid other indicating means, no more than one.

of said means showing at any time.

12. A manually and automatically operable electric switch containedwithin a housing which has a window therein, comprising fixed andmovable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, apivoted-manually actuable lever, means controlled by said lever forindicating the condition of the switch, a. plurality of means movingwith said movable member for indicating the condition of the switch,said indicating means being visible one at a time through said window.

13. A manually and automatically operable electric switch containedwithin a housing which has a window therein, comprising fixed andmovable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, a pivotedmanually actuable lever, means controlled by said lever for indicatingthe condition of the switch, a plurality of means moving with saidmovable member for indicating the condition of the switch,-saidindicating means being visible one at a time through said window, one ofsaid indicating means moving in front of another in one position of theswitch.

14. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact,a pivoted manually actuable lever, means having a lost-motion connectionwith said lever and indicating the condition of the switch, and aplurality of means moving with said movable member for indicating thecondition of the switch, no more than one of said means showing at anytime.

15. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact,a pivoted manually actuable lever, means movable by said lever andhaving rotative engagement with said movable member and indicating thecondition of the switch, and a plurality of means moving with saidmovable member for indicating the condition of the switch, no

more than one of said means showing at any time;

16. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprisingfixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact,a pivoted manually actuable lever, means having a lost-motion connectionwith said lever and having rotative engagement with said movable memberand indicating the condition of the switch, and a plurality of meansmoving with said movable member for indicating the condition of theswitch, no more than one of said means showing at any time. I

' MONROE GUETT.

